In my humble opinion, Khao Niew Ma Muang (Thai Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango) by far is the best Thai dessert. Khao Niew in Thai means sticky rice and Ma Muang means mango.
I love it so much that I even had it for breakfast several times when we went back to visit Bangkok Thailand. The sticky rice is soaked in sweet coconut syrup, topped with salted coconut sauce and served with sweet mangoes. I don’t know who came up with this, but it’s magically delish! I have yet to meet a soul who doesn’t like Khao Niew Ma Muang.
There are soooo many kinds of mangoes in Thailand, I didn’t realize I was spoiled with the variety of mangoes, until I left. They have sweet yellow, tart green, sweet green, etc. with all different names.
Here is a picture of a mango stand in my mom’s neighborhood’s supermarket.
A few things I’d like to share before we start making Khao Niew Ma Muang.
How to cook Thai sticky rice?
The plain sticky rice is famous in North and Northeast Thailand. It is usually served with grilled chicken, like these Grilled Asian Chicken Wings, Moo Yang (Thai Grilled Pork), Larb (Thai Meat Salad), Thai Grilled Pork (or Beef) Salad, and Nam Prik Makheua Yao (Thai Eggplant Dip), and Papaya Salad. The Thais also use sticky rice for many desserts, like this Khao Niew Ma Muang. The authentic way to cook sticky rice is to soak the sticky (glutenous) rice in water overnight and steam it in the bamboo basket. That sounds like a lot of work to me and for a hungry person who has a full-time job, I seriously needed a shortcut.
The shortcut to make sticky rice?
I used my handy dandy rice cooker. You can get it anywhere nowadays. I got mine from Amazon.com, here is the link to the rice cooker page. Pick the one with sweet or sticky rice option and you’re all set. If you don’t have that option, you can try with just the regular rice option. And no need to soak it in water overnight, you just need to wash or rinse the rice in tap water 5-6 times until it’s clear. Then add water and cook it in the rice cooker. Easy peasy!
Which brand of sticky rice to use?
Any Thai brand will do. Please don’t use Japanese rice, it’s completely different. It might feel sticky but it’s way different. You must use Thai sticky rice
What is the difference between coconut milk and coconut water?
Many people confuse coconut milk
Coconut milk VS coconut cream
Coconut milk and cream are made by boiling the flesh of coconuts with water. As might be expected, the difference between milk and cream is in the concentration and consistency.
Coconut milk has the liquid consistency of cow’s milk and is made from simmering one part shredded coconut flesh in one part water. Coconut milk is the basis of most Thai curries like Thai Massaman Curry, Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Coconut Curry, Red Curry with Bamboo Shoots, Green Curry with Hearts of Palm and Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai).
Coconut cream is much thicker and richer. It is made from simmering four parts shredded coconut in one part water. The cream that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk is also considered coconut cream.
I think that’s enough of all the knowledge in one day. 🙂 Let’s cook some food!
Wash the sticky rice in tap water in the rice cooker bowl. Use your hand and gently swirl the rice in the water, get rid of the starch water and repeat 5-6 times until the water is clear.
It is very important to get rid of excess starch to ensure that the grains of rice remain separate when cooked and don’t turn into a mushy ball.
Add water. You can measure it (2/3 cup for 1 cup of rice) or use the Asian “rice finger trick”. Put your index finger on top of the rice, make sure it’s on top of the rice and not all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. You will need the water level to reach 1/3 of the first line of your index finger from the top (about 1/2 cm.), regardless of the amount of the sticky rice.
Select sticky or sweet rice option on your rice cooker. No worries if it’s not available on your rice cooker, you can use your regular rice option. Press start.
In the meantime, make the sweet coconut syrup. Heat up coconut milk, sugar and salt over medium low heat. Stir until all sugar melts.
Once the rice is cooked, add half of the the coconut syrup.
Gently fold the rice from the bottom. Add the rest of the syrup and fold the rice again until combined.
Close the rice cooker lid. Do not unplug it, leave it on warm for 10-15 minutes. The sticky rice will absorb the sweet coconut syrup.
While waiting for the sweet sticky rice, make the salted coconut sauce.
Dissolve cornstarch in water.
Add coconut milk in a small sauce pan, medium low heat.
Add cornstarch liquid into the sauce pan, once the coconut milk is just below the boiling point. You’ll know when you start seeing small bubbles around the edges of the pot.
Stir (or whisk) and let it cook for a minute until the sauce is thicken. Take it off the heat. The sauce will also get thicker once it’s cool down.
To serve, place the sticky rice on a serving plate. Spoon the salted coconut sauce on top and serve with some sweet ripe mangoes.
That’s it… Enjoy! You will love it and I really hope you give this Khao Niew Ma Muang (Thai Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango) a try. The recipe card and comment box are below.
- Sweet Sticky Rice:
- 1 cup sticky rice (sweet glutenous rice)
- ⅔ cup water
- ⅔ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Salted Coconut Sauce:
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 ripe mangoes
- Toasted mung bean or sesame seeds (optional)
- Wash the sticky rice in tap water in the rice cooker bowl. Use your hand and gently swirl the rice in the water, get rid of the starch water and repeat 5-6 times until the water is clear. It is very important to get rid of excess starch to ensure that the grains of rice remain separate when cooked and don't turn into a mushy ball.
- Add water. Select sticky or sweet rice option on your rice cooker. No worries if it's not available on your rice cooker, you can use your regular rice option. Press start.
- In the meantime, make the sweet coconut syrup. Heat up coconut milk, sugar and salt over medium low heat. Stir until all sugar melts.
- Once the rice is cooked, add half of the syrup, gently fold the rice from the bottom. Add the rest of the syrup and fold the rice again until combined. Close the rice cooker lid. Do not unplug it, leave it on warm for 10-15 minutes. The sticky rice will absorb the sweet coconut syrup.
- While waiting, make the salted coconut sauce. Dissolve cornstarch in water. Add coconut milk in a small sauce pan, medium low heat. Add cornstarch liquid into the sauce pan, once the coconut milk is just below the boiling point. You'll know when you start seeing small bubbles around the edges of the pot.
- Stir and let it cook for a minute until the sauce is thicken. Take it off the heat. The sauce will also get thicker once it's cool down.
- To serve, place the sticky rice on a serving plate. Spoon the salted coconut sauce on top and serve with some sweet ripe mangoes. Enjoy!
You did not mention use Pandan Leaves?
You can absolutely use them if you are able to find them. 🙂